David and all,
Sorry about the delayed response to this renewed thread concerning my
issue with Say all and JFW. Father's Day and other family matters.
Like you David, I can't recommend TextAloud highly enough. Although I do
not use it at present, my previous version was lost a couple of hard
drive crashes ago, It really can come in handy for putting .mp3 readings
on another device, and being able to manipulate the speed of the text
presentation. Not to mention, not having to put up with the irritating
reading rhythm issues
we are talking about.
Like now with any screen reader I might use, I always chose to use
Eloquence as my preferred synthesizer with TextAloud.
I think I will definitely consider purchasing it again in the near
future. It is definitely a good and useful product.
Let me just say what I need to say about the previous suggestions in
this post. But before I do, I really wish to thank you all for your
moral support as well as technical advice on the matter.
I may go to the trouble of trying these tricks with text and punctuation
and the dictionary, although I must say that seems to me to be a whole
lot of trouble to have to go too for trying to restore what should be
the normal reading rhythm, not to mention, unintended consequences. But
thanks nevertheless for these suggestions.
What really has me befuddled is how JAWS users can be apparently so
contented with such a manner and style of reading. I've heard one JFW
list member speak of it as preferring it as a way of speeding up his
reading just that much more, especially since he prefers to read at a
faster clip as a rule. I like being able to speed read when both
practical and necessary, but I much prefer to read at what one might
consider a middle or moderate speed when I set out to read especially
nonfiction works, where I wish to think right along with my reading. I
prefer to keep both processes as much in sync as at all possible, not to
read as if I were hurrying to a fire <smile>. Hope that makes sense.
But people's various comfort levels are strictly their business. I just
don't like reading with a sense of involuntary impatience, which is what
this rhythm sounds like to me.
Oh well, I think I'd better cease my ramblings before I end up
confusing everybody.
I would be grateful for any further ideas and discussion concerning this
issue.
Thanks again all of you for your kind patients and suggestions,
Larry
On 6/19/2021 12:50 AM, David Pedersen via Talk wrote:
Richard, TextAloud is a standalone software, for converting a text > file or document into spoken audio. It was devoped for sighted
users, > like students or others who has to read lengthy multitudes of
texts. > The idea is that by use of audio, the reading can be performed
even > on the go - when you are not near any computer. It further may
prove > helpful with people who are dyslectics, as they can read by
audio, > without struggling with their reading capacities. > > As such,
and as a reply to your question, no TextAloud will not > enterfere with
the reading performed by the screen reader. In its > basic nature,
TextAloud can - and is supposed to - be operated all > without any
screen reader installed. That is, for a sighted person. > True, I did
mention the software in connection with the screen > reader, namely due
to the extra length the developers have gone, so > as to ensure the
software - and all its menus and settings, are all > accessible to the
blind. Meaning, they clearly are quite aware our > needs. Not too often
you come across teams that are such willing. > > You will still be using
the screen reader for all your computer > activity. TextAloud you will
load when you want to read a text > document, either it be a word
document, a PDF, or a plain text file. > And yes, it holds a build-in
text editor, so you might as well let > it replace your current editor,
for many tasks. > > Since it is offered as a shareware, you could
download and install > it, and do your playing. I do think it is
something like amonth you > get, before you have to pay. And I wonder if
I paid something like > 30 dollars for a full version. That gave me all
minor upgrades > included, like 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 an so forth. > > As for
the screen reader issues here discussed, I do not have any > further
solutions, but the advice given to use the speech dictionary, >
replacing commas and periods with other punctuation mark > combinations.
Test out how your synths behaves when meeting up with > single dashes,
colons, or semicolons - since there might be something > to bring to
town there, when comes to good replacements. Before > messing with your
dictionary though, do some playing in things like > Notepad. > > Load a
document of mixed Text, one or two pages in length. Set up > your screen
reader as best you can, and then try replacing some of > the commas and
periods with different combinations of punctuations. > The benefit of
using several alternatives throughout the document, is > that as you
perform a say-it-all operation, you will see how well > this or that one
works. Once you have narrowed down a couple of > alternatives, try them
out in the complete document. Use the > Find/Replace feature, to quickly
implement a given combination, in > all cases. > > Whenever you are
satisfied, it is a breeze to enter the correct info > in the dictionary,
and enjoy the experience. Might not be a total > fix, but even some
enhancement will do your ears well. > > Last solution would be, to get
in touch with the manufacturer of your > synth (if possible), letting
them know your issue. Hope for an > upgrade to the synth, and who knows
if you happened to solve an issue > for the many. > > >
________________________________ From: Richard Petty >
<richard.pe...@earthlink.net> Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2021 6:22 AM >
To: 'Window-Eyes Discussion List' <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Cc: >
'David Pedersen' <trailerda...@hotmail.com> Subject: RE: JAWS and >
read-all > > I used Eloquence with Window-Eyes for years and it paused
as it > should for punctuation. It read expressively. Eloquence
operating > with JAWS does not pause. I've tried multiple settings
without > success. > > Please help with a question about TextAloud. Can
TextAloud operate > with a screen reader such as JAWS to enhance the
reading experience > while using the screen reader? From your message,
David, I fear you > are indicating the answer is no. Still, I thought I
would at least > check. > > Thank you. > > Richard Petty > > >
-----Original Message----- From: Talk >
<talk-bounces+richard.petty=earthlink....@lists.window-eyes.com> On >
Behalf Of David Pedersen via Talk Sent: Friday, June 18, 2021 4:57 > PM
To: Larry Higgins via Talk <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Cc: David >
Pedersen <trailerda...@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: JAWS and read-all > >
Larry, I know what you are talking, and among other things, it's one >
of the reasons why I don't use Jaws much. As one of the others > pointed
out, it might to a certain degree depend on the synthesizer. > But like
you stated, you have tested several synths, and the many > settings.
Have to admit, that even under WinEyes I have seen the > behavior with
certain, less known synths. One of my synths here, has > the breaks you
would expect to have at the period, ehenever it comes > to a comma. And
likewise, when it comes to a comma, it will only have > the pausing that
you normally would have at the end of a phrase. > This all causes the
narrating to make long pauses in the middle of > the phrase, and almost
no pausing between the sentences - meaning > tthat you many times loose
the mainpoint in thhhhhhhhhhhe text. > > Afraid I do not have much other
comfort here, but letting you know > you are not alone. And it is most
likely the result of sluggish > handling, in the synth, just as much as
in the screen reader. By the > way, I do see it even under the TalkBack
with Android, combined with > some synths. > > Agreed, with Jaws it
seems to be the case with all synthesizers, > leading me to conclude
that the screen reader does not communicate > well enough with the
synths - or, could it be that I just have not > tested the right synths.
Smiles. > > If you want to read books, and you really want to put a bit
of > resources into the project, I would suggest you check out the >
shareware named TextAloud, manufactured by Nextup.com. It will leave >
you numerous ways of tayloring your reading experience. You have many >
adjustments for speed, and pausing. You can, if you want the extra >
job, have given parts of a text read out with an alternative voice, >
like whatever is enclosed in parenthesis, or quotations. All you need >
is the TextAloud software, and one or more SAPI voices. Nextup sells >
you what you need, and offers you high-end voices, like the Ivona and >
Vocalizer ones - all to affordable prices. The software developing >
team is well aware of screen reader users, hence the software has >
setups for you and me. Smiles. And, they are quick and friendly in >
helping you out, should you send them a message. Best of all, you > even
get the chance of converting your text files into MP3s, that you > can
actually generate your personalized audiobook of t he the file, > and
replay it on your portable player wherever you want. Even if you > want
to split a long text into individual smaller files, like if you > want
each chapter of your book to be in its own file, it has helpful >
features to perform such automatically, in a rather short and >
intuitive manner. > > OK, so it does not solve your issue, when browsing
the net, or > sorting your mailbox. But it would greatly help you out,
when you > invest a bit of setup, for your next book or long document. >
Personally I have read several books by the use of it, and got such >
used to the electronic voice, that I even started to put the human >
modulation into it, in my mind. > > Hope this gave you something, even
if it hardly was any real answer > to your initial query. > > > >
________________________________ From: Talk >
<talk-bounces+trailerdavid=hotmail....@lists.window-eyes.com> on >
behalf of Larry Higgins via Talk <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Sent: >
Thursday, June 17, 2021 12:17 PM To: WindowEyes List >
<talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Cc: Larry Higgins >
<larryhiggin...@comcast.net> Subject: JAWS and read-all > > To whomever
might be left to read this, I hope that you might have > some
suggestions, or at least observations on what I consider to be > almost
a deal-breaking issue when it comes to re-upping my annual >
subscription to JAWS. BTW, I have brought this to the attention to > JFW
list members, but have received no satisfactory answers. This > issue is
the way that JAWS and its say-all feature paces its reading > of any
document, no matter what synthesizer might be being used. I > like to
call it "reading rhythm." > > > When reading, the phrasing is rushed in
my opinion, meaning that the > ends and beginnings of sentences are so
close together that it is > hard for me to process what went before
before I've had a chance to > mentally prepare myself for the next
phrase, or sentence, whichever > might present itself while reading. > >
> I do not have this issue with WE. WE has a pleasant reading >
pace-rhythm. > > I have tried all of the settings provided in the
say-all options, > but none of them restore that kind of rhythm, not to
my liking. > > > On another list, when I occasionally have to make
mention of > Window-Eyes, I get the old song and dance about giving up
Window-Eyes > (an end of life product) in favor of the latest screen
reading > product, and I would do just that if I could find a way around
this > kind of unpleasant style of reading. This really does take away
from > my enjoyment of reading with my PC. > > > If anybody who might be
left is of the same opinion, or has any ideas > as to how to get around
this rather vexing issue, please respond ASAP > <smile>. Your
solidarity, not to mention wisdom will be gratefully > appreciated. > >
> Sincerely, > > > Larry > > > PS. I will observe, that NOAA Weather
stations do not use the JFW > style when presenting weather info, so why
should I have to put up > with this as a blind computer user and
voracious PC book reader? > > >
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